The Progress., 1887-12-03

Mississippi Chippewa Indian in
MINNESOTA. 'lIll It is worthy Of note
that the Commission, throughout
It's stsF whole report, makes no men
tlon Ct the number Of Indians rep
res resenting the Mississippi bands,
although claiming that a majority
bad signed the treaty. There are
residing on the several reserya-
tlons belonging to the Mississippi
Indians about 400 persons accor-
ding to agency pay rolls, and it is
unrea sonable to believe that nine
Ity-t three persons represent major
lltyof the men Eighteen chiefs
out Of Nhirty -two) signed the
treaty, and this they did with the
understap pding that it would not
become q law until three-tourths
at least ot all the Mississippi In
dians had signed it. (See speeches
of Joe Cntt and Wah-bah-nah-
quod, pages "a and rs com. rep't.) J
Only five or six of the intelligent
mixed blbods Of the entire num-
Der belonging to the Mississippi
bands signed the treaty, and we
understand that three or four Of
them did so only after being as
sured by solemn promise from
the Commission that certain
amendments would be made etc.
to the said agreement. And it is
safe to say that some others signed
from the fear that the threats
of expulsion from the reservation
which had been openly made,
would be executed in case they
did not sign; and again one would
be led to believe (from prevailing
sentiment then and since) that the
most Of them signed from the con-
viotion that there was no other al
teraative !! THAT if the treaty or
agreement failed, owing to it's not
being signed, the "White Earth
reservation would be opened to
white settlers within six months"
from the failure, etc., etc. /! And
it is we'll known, and no less a
notorious fact, that eoercive meas
ures were used at White Earth to
prevent an open expression Of op-
position to tho treaty, agent shee-
han intinating the removal Of
certain persons from the reserva.
tion it they did so.
The main object of the treaty
seems to be the consolidation of
the Chippewa Indians upon the
White Earth reservation, and we
have no doubt that this meets with
the appreciation of a large majori-
ty of the tribe, but the conditions
under which the representatives of
the Government are endeavorine
to effect is what meets with such
general opposition, and especially
among the Mississippi bands.
Should Congress ratify the trea.
ty in it's present form it would on.
ly add one more injustice to long
list which the Government has
been led into doing by over zeal.
Gus representatives, which it sends
out to deal with the Indians. It
is to be hoped however, that the
members Of the U. S. Senate In.
vestigating committee who lately
visited White Earth, may heed the
protests made to Congress by the
| Mississippi indians against the
treaty, and that no action may be
taken as to it's ratification until a
delegation composed of persons
selected by the tribe (and not by
the agent or the Indian bureau) is
| ~ . y e
called to Washington to modify
or add to the provision of the same,
or else until the consent of the
majority Of the Mississippi Indians
has been obtained.
| GUS. H. BEAULIEU.
The second day of the council
| it was loudly noised about by
members Of the Commission and
others, that if they failed to make
a treaty with the Ojibwas here,
the 'Beaulieus' would be to blame,
and it would be so reported to the
Department. = owing undoubtedly,